Science problems

[momtolgd]

Science is just not getting done here. I planned to do Adventures with Atoms and Molecules, with various books and videos, but we just aren't getting to it regularly.

Anyone else have this problem?

Any suggestions for something else that would be pick-up-and-go for science? The kids are interested in all areas, but we just don't seem to be fitting it in to our schedule (i.e. if anything needs to be dropped for whatever reason, it ends up being science. :001_huh:)

[Goldilocks]

Start your own science club!

I started doing science with another friend who was also having the same problem. I do all the work with the school-age children and she plays with the babies. Having them come over once a week forces us to make time for it. It is not ideal because we have to either cram a lot in on one day or work through the material very slowly. But something is getting done and that is important to me.

[littlebug42]

We liked the Singapore Earlybird science books. It is inexpensive, over the four little books it covers pretty much everything but it was not so overwhelming to me or them. There are some experiments thrown in there as well. It is available from Rainbow Resource if you want to check it out.

[Stacia]

Homeschool Science Adventures has everything in a box:
http://www.homeschoolscience.com/
I haven't tried them, but I think the kits look great.

Exploration Education (http://www.explorationeducation.com/) also has everything included. The dc work on the computer from a cd to go through the lesson, then there are hands-on projects & workbook pages to do. I thought the younger level was very basic & easy. My science-loving 6yo blew through the entire level in a couple of weeks. The other level is more on target for 5th grade+, imo.

Sonlight (http://www.sonlight.com/science.html) also has complete science kits that have everything: lesson plans, books, kits w/ all the supplies, etc.... SL is apparently going to update some of their science kits for the upcoming year -- just as an FYI.

[yvonne]

I second Singapore Science. It's the only way science started getting done around here, after 2 years of never getting to it. My 8 year olds can do it fairly independently. We did My Pals Are Here from Sept-Dec., which helped us get into a routine.

Once we got into a routine, we were able to branch off a little. The past three weeks we've been studying amphibians. The boys read amphibian books from the library daily and share the most interesting bits. Our weekly writing assignments (we're using IEW) have been about amphibians. We've read books together. It's been a very productive & enjoyable session for us! But the only reason we finally got to this point was because I started with something very simple--Singapore MPH.

Good luck. Science is actually a fun addition if you can just get started.
yvonne

[ElizabethB]

We do science once a week. I really like the real science for kids, we're enjoying it.

You can see the full books online to see if you think they'll work for you:

http://www.gravitaspublications.com/

[Isa]

You could try "God's Design for Science" series. The books correspond to the years in "The Well-Trained Mind", and each chapter is short (it only takes 5-10 minutes to get through). There are optional questions and experiments at the end of the chapters, and you can also supplement with books from the library.

It's a quick and effective way to get science done each week.

[Friederike in Persia]

We're doing Apologia this year and the thing that I find slightly suspicious is, that my dd8 and dd9 are doing it all on their own :glare:. I like science I we won't stay with it for ever, but it sounds like you could do with that sort of programm right now.
It's outright Christian though, which you might object to. It doesn't seem to bash evolution, but is clearly pro creation and mentions God 2-3 times per chapter (from what I've seen, as I say, they do it on their own).

[Mallory]

We are doing Chem. this year following the schedules from Easy Classical.

While we weren't too bad about getting readings and narrations done, we had a poor record of getting experiments done. For christmas I bought them a set of chemistry things- test tubes, beakers, graduated cylinders, a little glass dropper, ect.

Then I put that stuff and some extra things- spare cups, handfull of coins, empty jars- in a box and the experiments are so much easier to do now.

[ummtafari]

While we weren't too bad about getting readings and narrations done, we had a poor record of getting experiments done. For christmas I bought them a set of chemistry things- test tubes, beakers, graduated cylinders, a little glass dropper, ect.


We also have an issue with getting the experiments done. I figured out the reason over here is because of the little ones getting in the way. So, now we do hands-on activities that are simple and do not required a lot of little choke hazards. If we do need to do an activity that requires small parts, I basically have to wait until my husband is at home.

[nmoira]

I second Singapore Science. It's the only way science started getting done around here, after 2 years of never getting to it. My 8 year olds can do it fairly independently. We did My Pals Are Here from Sept-Dec., which helped us get into a routine.This is our experience as well. I also like that it is integrated; I think the WTM approach of breaking science into discrete topics is counterproductive in the early years. MPH helps show the interconnectedness between branches of science.

[momtolgd]

For the Singapore MPH books, it is recommended for grades 3-6. I'd like to keep science with both my 8yods and 6yodd together. Could a 6yo handle the 3rd grade level of it?

[yvonne]

We're using the MPH grade 3 books. My 8 yo boys do everything-read the text, complete the workbook and activity book pages. My 6 yo daughter was along for the ride.

The material is not at all difficult for her, but the writing would have been painful for her. So she just went over the workbook & activity book orally with us when we corrected it. She didn't do any of the writing, except the occasional life cycle diagram or labelling or matching page.

If you have a chance to look at the MPH 3 book, you might want to do that before buying. I was initially disappointed that it seemed a little simplistic. (But then I also felt that way about Singapore math initially!) The huge benefit of MPH for me has been that it has gotten us into a routine of actually doing science. I don't know if we'll use MPH 4, but MPH 3 has been well worth it for what I needed. If you want some seriously meaty science program, you might want something else. But, then, it will probably be more teacher-intensive & then you risk not getting it done. If you want to start getting science done with a program that your son will be able to run with, try MPH for a semester!


yvonne